Daddy Needs a Drink: An Irreverent Look at Parenting from a Dad Who Truly Loves His Kids-- Even When They're Driving Him Nuts

Daddy Needs a Drink is a delightful peek into Robert Wilder's child-filled life, highlighting the ridiculous charm of his kids, Poppy and London, and the daily dilemmas and lessons parenting has taught him. From the first few pre-pregnancy tales, one of which involves listening in to his neighbors' dalliances via baby monitor, through his kids' adventures and misadventures, Wilder proves that he's laughing at himself most of all. More than just "cute kid stories," Wilder explores the ways teaching his children right from wrong can often be unsettling for other adults, such as when his son decides to say the word "pussy" at many an inopportune time (not to mention "hipple") or teaching him about dwarfs ("dwarps" in London-speak). He explores his son's addiction to his nuzzies (blanket lint) and their attempts to wean him off of them. Wilder also has an eye for the hypocrisy of other parents and teachers, pointing out their excesses and eccentricities. On the beach, he describes sitting near "High-Maintenance Mom" while he makes sand mermaids for his kids. When High-Maintenance Mom's daughter comes over to see what the fuss is about, Wilder writes: "The little girl left her mom and wandered over to what must have seemed like more fun than an outdoor office where your boss ignores you." No matter how much he may roll his eyes at certain parenting conventions, Wilder will never be the kind of dad who blatantly ignores his kids. And, while humorous, Wilder exhibits a vulnerability that's refreshingly honest, most notably when he shares a crying bout upon observing his daughter on the playground. He's a dad who's willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, wearing a filthy Frosty the Snowman outfit, buying outrageous amounts of school supplies, and generally humoring his kids without spoiling them. His essays about his own father, whose love for Sam's Club knows no bounds, show their own deep connection. Wilder's greatest gift is in making readers laugh, but never at the expense of anyone else. There are stories that his kids will likely one day laugh right along with, and he includes himself in the punchlines. He touches on telephone etiquette for kids, how to deal with his children's voluminous output of artwork, and balancing the needs and wants of two adults and two kids harmoniously, while also giving a glimpse into the rest of his family and his friends' adventures in parenting (where the terrible twos extend onward well past that famous age). This is well worth reading, whether you have (or even like) kids or not, and while his love and awe for his kids is clear from every page, Wilder manages to be hilarious and tender, but never sappy. Wilder doesn't claim to have all the answers, and learns along the way, painting fatherhood as an ongoing journey of learning, growing, and being changed by his role as a parent, and his humorous writing is all the better for this lack of a master plan or know-it-all advice. I will be giving this book

As a fellow author, and a new mom, I read this book thinking I'd find a dad who doesn't really get it but that it might be humorous. Well, I was wrong. He totally gets it every bit as much as the bored stay at home moms I know. If you don't laugh at the chapter entitled "Pussy" you probably don't have a pulse which means you have bigger problems than what book to buy. I definitely recommend this book to all dads who want to see that other dads know what you're going through. Good luck out there!

Hilarious, closely-observed, refreshingly honest, moving in unexpected ways. The book deftly avoids the saccharine territory of so many books about parenting and just nails the strange, important details of domestic life. "Crying in America," a triptych of essays, is at the book's heart and ought to be shared widely. In short, a great read and one I'm passing along to people of all stripes - men, women, those who parent, those who have been parented.

I'm not going to lie...I am not done with the book, YET! But in a wierd way, I don't want to finish it. I want it to keep on going...I want it to always be there, to crack me up with its unique and witty writing style. I want it to be there to make me laugh so loud, I startle my dog. I want to keep reading the funny accounts of Mr. Wilder's life...the parts that make me laugh even when I'm not reading...when I am walking around the mall, or sitting at the teacher's lounge eating lunch. Everyone says, "What are you laughing about?". I say, "Read the book!" Trust me people, its HILARIOUS! You won't want it to end :)

It really has been a while since I have laughed until the tears were coming out. I appreciate his excellent writing. I think the author is sharing his own experiences in a way that make them seem both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. He writes in a way that makes you think about your own life, and how you can be more aware.